Senators Back South Africa Bans Committee Joins Push For Action Right Away

June 5, 1985|By KNT News Service

WASHINGTON — In a defeat for the Reagan administration, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved legislation Tuesday to ban new bank loans, computer exports and sales of nuclear technology to the white-dominated government of South Africa.

The Senate bill, while weaker than one in the Democrat-run House, is still considerably stronger than that first proposed by Senate leaders.

Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar of Indiana and Senate Majority Leader Robert Dole had hoped to postpone for at least 18 months the imposition of economic sanctions against South Africa because of its policy of rigid racial segregation known as apartheid.

But the committee voted 12 to 5 to impose bans at once on new bank loans and on sales of computer equipment and nuclear technology to the South African government and its agencies.

Four Republican senators joined the committee's eight Democrats in voting to approve those sanctions. The Republicans were Sens. Charles Mathias of Maryland, Nancy Kassebaum of Kansas, Paul Trible of Virginia and Daniel Evans of Washington.

Another provision of the bill would require that the president propose further sanctions to Congress within 18 months unless South Africa makes substantial progress to eliminate its apartheid policy.

Those future sanctions could include a prohibition on new American investment in South Africa or a ban on importing into the United States the South African gold coins known as Krugerrands.

The bill approved Tuesday also would require U.S. companies doing business in South Africa to abide by the ''Sullivan Code of Conduct.'' The code, named after Philadelphia clergyman Leon Sullivan, requires that companies treat all employees equally.

Legislative staffers said they expect a vote by the full Senate within the month, and perhaps as early as this week.

The House resumed its debate Tuesday on its stronger anti-apartheid bill. That measure would impose bans at once on new investment, bank loans, computer sales and Krugerrand imports.